The Girl

Chapter Forty

  "So, where should we start?" Ben asks. The three of us are standing huddled around the map for sector six.

"Well, I figured we go in at dawn, it takes about an hour to get there. Once we arrive, we tie Beth up with a rope as a harness, and lower her down into the opening. Depending on what she finds, we could be there a while. We'll take two walkie talkies, she takes one and we take one. We can discuss what she sees and finds. If they cut out for some reason and there's an emergency, she tugs on the rope twice and we pull her up immediately. If there's an emergency and the walkie talkies work, she says code red and we pull her up as quickly as possible. We send her down with a journal, pen, flashlight, walkie talkie, and some basic survival supplies on the off chance worst comes to worst."

I feel my heart sink at his last words. He notices my sudden change in breathing.

"It's just a precaution. We've got a whole system. We'll keep you safe, Beth." Minho tries to reassure me but nothing will get rid of the jumping in my stomach.

"Are you sure about this?" I ask uneasily. Minho and Ben look at each other and nod before Minho speaks up.

"Definitely." I bite my lip and pick up the instructions. I reread through them once more.

"Confident?" Ben asks.

"Not one bit," I smirk up at him. But all of a sudden the door slams open.

"I'm shutting this operation down," Alby bursts through the door.

"Excuse me?" Minho asks defensively.

"You think you can plan an entire investigation, while breaking the rules, and not even mention it to me?" Alby demands. I swear under my breath.

"Newt told you, didn't he? I'm gonna kill him-"

"No one's killing anyone. We have rules for a reason, we can't just have you breaking them without any warning!" Alby shouts.

"Alby, this could be our way out! This could be our way home!" I try to reason with the leader, but he disregards me.

"You need to tell me about these types of discoveries, Minho. Why didn't you?"

"I knew you wouldn't let Beth go out there. But I knew she would. And ultimately it should be her decision. If she's on board with it, you should be too." Minho crosses his arms.

"Doesn't matter. She's not a runner," Alby shuts us down. I feel the rage boil up inside my stomach. And then I get an idea.

"Minho, you're Keeper of the runners, right?" I turn to the boy standing at my left. He nods, confused.

"Then make me one." I cross my arms and smile up at him smugly. A wide grin spreads across his face.

"You're good-"

"And you're forgetting that I oversee all the jobs. She's already a medjack, she's not going to be a runner, too," Alby tries to reason with us. I bite my lip to try and control my anger but it leaks out a smidge.

"Don't you want to get the hell out of this place? What is so twisted in your mind that you won't let us even have a chance to leave?" I demand.

"Order is the only thing that's kept us united-"

"We wouldn't need to be united if we escaped, don't you get it? Help us get home, Alby!" I shout. I make my eyes water a bit. "I want to go home," I whisper. His eyes meet mine and I see the longingness behind them. He shakes his head.

"No. I'm sorry, it's not right. I won't allow it," Alby says one last time before he exits the map room. I'm at a loss for words.